"OnStar" Fails To Free 2-Year-Old Girl From Locked Car

[curious1]

Yeah, southcitymom, you had a backup plan, you are smart.

Why do so many parents these days depend on other people or things to do their jobs?

 

[BillyGoatGruff]

But they have mislead the public in the name of money. The commercials make you think they can do anything. One would not think they would need to upgrade a system less than a yr old. They are selling you an idea of safety but not the real thing.

But that doesn't mean you should surrender your brain and common sense simply because you have OnStar in your damn car. It's like suing the smoke alarm company becuase you decided to deep fry a turkey in your house and it caught fire.

 

[BillyGoatGruff]

I am wondering if, instead of using the term "upgrading", what they mean is "subscribing"?

When I bought my last Chev, it came with OnStar, first year free. After the first year, if we wanted to continue with OnStar, we would have had to pay an annual subscription fee for the service.

I am guessing this may be what happened in this case - the vehicle owner did not renew their OnStar subscription.

I also recall a couple years ago being contacted by our dealer to let us know that there was an upgrade to the OnStar system and we would have to bring our vehicle in if we wanted it - no charge. Because I had not renewed my OnStar subscription, I didn't bother.

I suspect that's what they meant. Upgrading to full service as opposed to the dealer-promoted year of free service.

 

[BillyGoatGruff]

They should at LEAST upgrade the system for free and give them a years service for free! Less that a year is way too early to have to expect to upgrade!


As far as the father, Poor guy. Now he is being judged.

I think the upgrade meant the car owner needed to subscribe to the service himself. Dealers offer a year of free service with a new car, but after that ypu have to get your own subscription.

 

[PrayersForMaura]

I don't have an extra key for my car. The extra key is a remote kind and costs $350. Sorry, I am a cheapskate and don't figure on losing my keys. It if happens, then it happens

When my boyfriend locked my keys in my car, we called an emergency number and they came out with some device that slipped in through the rubber insulation in the window and they opened it.

As far as On Star goes, I would never pay for that service. I have a cell phone, and if the phone doesn't help me, I doubt On star would.

Does anyone else have experience with On Star?
I read that a few of you did.
Is it worth it to you??
Sounds like a neat service, but again ... I'm a cheapskate!!!

 

[JBean]

I don't have an extra key for my car. The extra key is a remote kind and costs $350. Sorry, I am a cheapskate and don't figure on losing my keys. It if happens, then it happens

When my boyfriend locked my keys in my car, we called an emergency number and they came out with some device that slipped in through the rubber insulation in the window and they opened it.

As far as On Star goes, I would never pay for that service. I have a cell phone, and if the phone doesn't help me, I doubt On star would.

Does anyone else have experience with On Star?
I read that a few of you did.
Is it worth it to you??
Sounds like a neat service, but again ... I'm a cheapskate!!!

I love it.
I was driving with my girlfriend once and she was having what we thought to be a heart attack. I was not anywhere familiar and so I called onstar. They stayed on the line with me because I couldn't follow their directions, because I was trying to drive and take care of my friend. Anyway, they "talked" me to the hospital and it was a really good thing. My gf was fine, BTW.
I like that if my airbags deploy, they will notify emergency personnel. I may not be able to.

 

[BillyGoatGruff]

I don't have an extra key for my car. The extra key is a remote kind and costs $350. Sorry, I am a cheapskate and don't figure on losing my keys. It if happens, then it happens

When my boyfriend locked my keys in my car, we called an emergency number and they came out with some device that slipped in through the rubber insulation in the window and they opened it.

As far as On Star goes, I would never pay for that service. I have a cell phone, and if the phone doesn't help me, I doubt On star would.

Does anyone else have experience with On Star?
I read that a few of you did.
Is it worth it to you??
Sounds like a neat service, but again ... I'm a cheapskate!!!

It's called a Slim Jim. Short for "Jimmy".

My dad made one of his own in his machine shop back in the 1960s and kept it in his toolbox in the bed of the truck. However, since then its illegal for anyone except LE or locksmiths to have one in their possession.

 

[lostfaith]

This dufus doesn't sound like he should be allowed to be having children.:doh:

She had the keys in the car by herself...playing...and that was OK with him...Huh? WTH is that about?

AND he waited 45 minutes before calling in the fire department?! I am sorry but as soon as ON Star failed and I saw that she was in distress....I'm breaking the window. Windows can be replaced.

What a dumba$$ to blame his poor parenting on OnStar....the child should never have had the keys in the car by herself in the first place. That is a recipe for disaster. He should feel pretty lucky that that is the worst that came out of this.

Sure am glad she's OK!

That is really harsh and judgemental in my opinion. You really do not know the whole story, and neither do I, to be making such harsh comments, in my opinion.

As far as keys go, my second set is on my husbands key ring.

 

[southcitymom]

I don't think this guy is a dufus for getting himself in a pickle because of a 2-year-old's actions. But, if he is trying to blame Onstar, then he is acting like a dufus.

 

[ember]

That is really harsh and judgemental in my opinion. You really do not know the whole story, and neither do I, to be making such harsh comments, in my opinion.

As far as keys go, my second set is on my husbands key ring.

And....the point is????

By his own admission, he knew the child had the keys and was playing in the car without him (or else she wouldn't be locked in by herself). That is all I need to know about this story for me to decide he is irresponsible. He's a yutz to allow such a situation.

So of course what I said is harsh and judgemental. I am also harsh and judgemental of people who let their children run with scissors and chew on appliance cords. It's all poor parenting that can lead to disaster.

I am entitled to my opinion.

 

[southcitymom]

And....the point is????

By his own admission, he knew the child had the keys and was playing in the car without him (or else she wouldn't be locked in by herself). That is all I need to know about this story for me to decide he is irresponsible. He's a yutz to allow such a situation.

So of course what I said is harsh and judgemental. I am also harsh and judgemental of people who let their children run with scissors and chew on appliance cords. It's all poor parenting that can lead to disaster.

I am entitled to my opinion.

Where are you getting that by his own admission he knew the child had the keys and was playing in the car without him? I don't see any statement in the article posted that says that directly or indirectly.

I agree that we don't have enough information at all to question his parenting in this situation.

 

[ember]

Where are you getting that by his own admission he knew the child had the keys and was playing in the car without him? I don't see any statement in the article posted that says that directly or indirectly.

I agree that we don't have enough information at all to question his parenting in this situation.

http://www.kfmb.com/stories/story.58853.html

*SNIP from link:
Solana Beach resident Steffan Gibbs found out the hard way after his 2-year-old daughter Eliza hit the lock button while playing with the key chain.
*End snip*

It is obvious to me. She HAD to be in the vehicle while she was "playing with the keychain" or else she wouldn't have been locked in. What is a two year old doing in the car by herself with the keys? I have all the information I need to question his parenting.

However, I will not engage in a petty argument about what MY opinion is.

 

[southcitymom]

http://www.kfmb.com/stories/story.58853.html

*SNIP from link:
Solana Beach resident Steffan Gibbs found out the hard way after his 2-year-old daughter Eliza hit the lock button while playing with the key chain.
*End snip*

It is obvious to me. She HAD to be in the vehicle while she was "playing with the keychain" or else she wouldn't have been locked in. What is a two year old doing in the car by herself with the keys? I have all the information I need to question his parenting.

However, I will not engage in a petty argument about what MY opinion is.

I wasn't trying to argue with you - just to understand where you were coming from.

I've had a two-year-old get into my car with my keys and start pushing buttons in the time it takes me to blow my nose. That didn't mean I knew about it or approved of it - it meant my 2-year-old got ahead of me for a second. I didn't question my parenting in that situation, which I guess is why I wouldn't question anyone else's based on the limited information contained in that article.

 

[lostfaith]

http://www.kfmb.com/stories/story.58853.html

*SNIP from link:
Solana Beach resident Steffan Gibbs found out the hard way after his 2-year-old daughter Eliza hit the lock button while playing with the key chain.
*End snip*

It is obvious to me. She HAD to be in the vehicle while she was "playing with the keychain" or else she wouldn't have been locked in. What is a two year old doing in the car by herself with the keys? I have all the information I need to question his parenting.

However, I will not engage in a petty argument about what MY opinion is.

Yep, you have a right to your opinion, so do I. Congratulations! Your a perfect parent!